


Christmas Dawn

by Syion



Category: Free!
Genre: Bad attempt at mystery, Christmas, Dense Sousuke, Gen, Implied Matsuoka Rin/Nanase Haruka, Implied confession, M/M, Matsuoka Family, Other, Pancakes, Slight Sousuke angst, Stubborn Sousuke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-28
Updated: 2014-12-28
Packaged: 2018-03-03 23:34:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2892230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Syion/pseuds/Syion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being alone wasn’t going to be difficult. He was already used to it. Besides, what was the big deal about Christmas anyway? Then again, why did it feel different this year? </p>
<p>What was he hoping for?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A short where Sousuke finally admits his feelings to a mysterious boy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas Dawn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Himazune](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Himazune), [NikkiTe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikkiTe/gifts).



> This is the first fanfiction I've completed in a few years so I'm still a bit rusty. I was based on FFnet under a different pseudonym but I haven't posted anything in a long long while (about five years maybe). This is unbeta-ed so consider yourself warned.
> 
> This is for Himazune and Nikki, the two people who encouraged my spazzing and squealing over these angsty boys. Merry Christmas!

Yamazaki Sousuke usually celebrated Christmas over at the Matsuokas’ since his parents were barely home. They were busy running their business and Sousuke had grown used to their absence as he grew up. But since Rin left for Australia, Sousuke had stopped going over to the Matsuokas’, partly because he had transferred to a school in Tokyo. But the bottom line was simple. Sousuke had slowly grown used to watching Christmas pass him by.

But this winter break, even with Rin back and himself having joined Samezuka, Sousuke was still going to be alone this Christmas. His best friend was busy celebrating with Nanase. It was natural, he thought. After all, Rin was going to Sydney after graduation and things would be strained between the two of them for a while.

Well, being alone wasn’t going to be difficult. He was already used to it, he reasoned. Besides, what was the big deal about Christmas anyway?

Christmas. It had been an innocent holiday when Sousuke was younger. Spending it with Rin and Gou by playing in the snow, gathering around the tree for presents and even hanging up stockings before turning in for bed. He remembered how the three of them tried to stay on Christmas Eve to try and catch Santa in the act.

But he had gotten cynical, as he grew older. Now, he saw Christmas as nothing more than a marketing opportunity. It was a ‘magical time’ of the year where people, adults and kids alike, would be hit by the shopping bug and using the holiday as an excuse to spend ridiculous amounts of money on lavish gifts.

Then why did it feel different this year? Why did he yearn for company? Why did he turn down Gou’s invitation?

Why did he choose to be alone and feed that small flickering fire of hope?

 

 

Christmas morning had come and gone without much fuss. He had woken up to several mails from his teammates at Samezuka, all wishing him a ‘Merry Christmas’, to which he didn’t reply. Sousuke got started on a Christmas morning ritual he hadn’t practiced since he last spent Christmas with the Matsuoka siblings.

It was only during Christmas morning that Sousuke ate anything so sickeningly sweet. Rin’s mom used to make them all vanilla buttermilk pancakes and subsequently forced the children to eat them with maple syrup, whipped cream and butter. Rin would kick up a fuss but Sousuke knew that his best friend liked it anyway. And Sousuke would give in, forcing himself to swallow forkful after forkful of the sweet breakfast.

Once the pancakes were demolished and plates clean of butter and syrup, Sousuke sat himself down. It was time to seriously think about his own future. He had told Rin that he might take over the family business. But he had so many other things he wanted to do first.

 

 

Sousuke was still daydreaming on the couch, his head canted back and resting against the crest rail. Though it could hardly be called _day_ dreaming if it was already this late in the evening. He recalled the phone conversation he had had with Rin the night before on Christmas Eve. They had been talking about what Rin would be getting as presents for the others for Christmas and he had shot down, with a laugh, all of Rin’s ridiculous material suggestions of what the latter could buy for Nanase. The two of them hadn’t had the time to talk about what they each wanted. But before they ended the call, Rin had solemnly and sincerely told him that he hope all of Sousuke’s wishes came true. 

He chuckled bitterly at the thought. Nobody would be able to grant his two wishes. His shoulder wouldn’t suddenly get better. After all, for the past two years since the injury, Sousuke had been repeatedly going for rehabilitation, only for his shoulder to break down again. As for his other wish…

The doorbell rang, echoing through the apartment and waking him from his trance. His head jolted up, heart skipping a beat. He squashed down the small flicker of hope and got up to answer the door.

Maybe it was Gou, coming over with some cake as she did every year since her older brother had left for Australia.

He opened the door.

And his heart caught in his throat.

“A-Ah, Merry Christmas Yamazaki-kun. I didn’t think you’d be home.”

Sousuke couldn’t get his throat to work.

“A-Ah, maybe I shouldn’t have come… Rin gave me your address,” the boy at his door said, fidgeting on the spot slightly as Sousuke stared at him.

His heart thudded so loudly in his chest that he was sure the beautiful boy on his doorstep could hear it. 

“What’s wrong Yamazaki-kun? Are you feeling alright?” The boy asked, emerald eyes filled with worry snapped up to Sousuke’s face from where they had been eyeing the ground nervously. 

“I wasn’t sure… But I came anyway. B-But I can leave if you’re busy,” The boy stammered as he handed Sousuke a box, gift wrapped in a forest green wrapping paper, topped with a festive red ribbon and a little tag attached to the ribbon with Sousuke’s name on it. 

The boy fell silent, seeming to peek up at Sousuke through the bangs covering his eyes. There was a nervous energy in the air (that was mostly Sousuke’s fault).

In that instant, it dawned on him. Sousuke truly understood what he felt for the other boy, his innocent, smiling, gentle angel.

He smiled, the first genuine one through all of winter break.

“Merry Christmas, Tachibana,” Sousuke said, accepting the gift and pulling the olive haired boy into his house.

“I like you too,” He confessed bluntly, much to the embarrassment of an already flustered Makoto.

**Author's Note:**

> I've tried to keep the other party mysterious up until the end. But if it's obvious, I might just add it to the tags anyway. Let me know in the comments or in a message.


End file.
